Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I wish I would have had cute burb rags when I had a newborn. If you have to clean up spit up, why not have something pretty to do it with? I found this tutorial on the Michael Miller blog and tried a few with just the scraps of fabric I had. I printed some vintage images on iron on transfer paper and then ironed them on some cotton canvas fabric just to add a little something extra. Since I finished these ones this morning, I have printed out some more vintage pictures and I am excited to put them on more fabric. So, the factory is in full swing!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

My friend, Kim, in Texas was having a fund raiser and needed some hand made goods to sell, so I sewed another apron. I tried to revamp my apron pattern by adding a flounce and I love the flounce, but I think I will switch up the top by the neck line for next time. I want to get this pattern perfect.

Friday, March 14, 2008

I started making a little tote for me niece, Sadie, for her birthday that is coming up and it went so wrong. I decided to put some fabrics together to make one piece and these were heavy fabrics. Then, I added backing (just as the pattern said) and then, I added a reverseable fabric. I shoved that big wad in to my sewing machine and broke 3 needles and couldn't get the fabric to even move. I had to come up with another plan. I unpicked all that I had done and decided to take a different route. I just added a liner and made one similar to my bag from Jodie's tutorial. I think it turned out pretty cute and hopefully, a 12 year old will like it. I know this 30 something will steal it if she doesn't!

I don't have any Easter decorations. Well, any that I have had in the past have been tossed over the years and I am not much for pastel. But, I found the cute wee bunny pattern at wee wonderfuls. I made one for each member of the family (six) and it was so easy. I do need a good shelf to put them on right in the entryway, so build one honey! They are on the piano for now. I have 5 completely done and mine is still upstairs and as Gage says, "it still needs it's bum sewed up." But that should be resolved soon enough.

Friday, March 7, 2008

It doesn't look like my signature, but until I can figure out how to get my own at the bottom, it will do. Just testing to see if this works before I go to bed. I got the signature from My Live Signature.

Last night when Jamie was talking about blogs she said she just googled anything she wanted to learn how to do in order to change up her blog. I decided to give that a try since I wanted borders around my posts and sidebar. I just googled it and found directions here at Mom's Who Blog as well as some other tutorials on how to make this blog a little fancier. You don't even have to make the border white, but can change it to your color choice. I can't believe how much you can find even when you type a full sentence like- "how to add borders to my photos and posts." I am learning that if there is anything you want to know, don't hesitate to ask the google genie.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

I have come to realize that the art of sewing isn't really in the fabric selection or pattern selection. It is not even in the dreaming up a something really beautiful. It is in following a straight line and making sure you are catching the right fabrics along the way. When I think of sewing, I think of all the creative, wonderful things you can make. But, what I didn't realize is that it takes a brain that likes to follow directions (me- not so much) to have a project turn out nice. Exhibit A - this dress. I loved the pattern and the fabric and the pattern said, "Sew Easy." Yeah, so easy for some people. They put a zipper in it, teeny tiny bias tape for the arm holes, millions of ruffles, and facing. That's not what I would consider easy. Fabric bags - now those are easy. Curtains - easy. You sew seems and long straight lines. But, after all of this, I did enjoy the challenge of doing something I had never done before - like the zipper. I was always so scared of those. Turns out my machine has a zipper foot and it was pretty easy once I read the directions. Okay, for all you seamstresses out there, this would be easy, but for me it was an accomplishment and for that - I am glad it is over and am ready to start the next "sew easy" project and I think I will take baby steps to the advanced sewing stage!

printables

self

My name is Traci. I am a mother of four who loves to create - crafts or messes! I love swedish fish, the color red, and doodling on any free sheet of paper. If you ever want to leave a comment, go ahead. Have a question? Then email me at traciu73atyahoodotcom.